10 Remedies To Unblock Your Baby’s Nose

Every mom wishes that her baby stays cheerful. But most of the babies can suffer from the common ailment of cold quite often. This makes the baby irritable and the mom worried.

However, whenever my daughter suffers from a runny nose, her paediatrician would tell me that it’s a good thing as it is the body’s mechanism to remove the germs. But severe cold also causes nasal congestion which makes a baby very uncomfortable and can affect his feeding and sleeping pattern.

Nasal congestion

Nasal congestion is the blockage of the nasal passages usually due to membranes lining the nose becoming swollen from inflamed blood vessels.

It can be caused due to common cold, flu, allergies, or sinus. Though it is a common ailment if not treated properly can even hinder mental and physical growth in some serious cases.

Children in the first few months of their life are obligatory nose breathers. So, when they suffer from nasal congestion, they have difficulty breathing. This makes them extremely cranky because of the discomfort.

Signs of Nasal Congestion in Infants:

Reduced number of feeds

Sneezing

Whistling noise from the nose

Snoring

Pricking the nose

A runny nose

Signs of Nasal Congestion in 1 to 6-year-old:

A runny nose

Disturbed sleep

Coughing

Fever in case of severe respiratory infection

Snoring

Remedies for Nasal Congestion:

1.Saline water:

If your baby is under six months old, you can put few drops of saline water in each nostril.

2.Carom seeds hot pad:

This is a very popular Indian method to ease a baby from nasal congestion. Roast one tablespoon of carom seeds on a pan. Next, transfer the roasted seeds in a muslin cloth and make a tight pouch. Check that the cloth is not too hot and then place it on your child’s chest as a hot pad or make your child inhale its aroma to ease the congestion. My grandmother has used this method and I have used it for my daughter which has most of the times relieved her of congestion.

3. Remove hard mucus:

Remove the hard, sticky mucus using a cotton dipped in warm water to prevent it from blocking the nose.

4. Breast milk:

Put a few drops of breast milk in the nostrils of newborn babies to ease nasal congestion. When my daughter was 1 month old, she developed nasal congestion and my friend who is a doctor suggested this method. Since the congestion wasn’t severe it worked for my daughter.

5. Eucalyptus oil:

Put a few drops of Eucalyptus oil on the baby’s bedding. Since the smell of eucalyptus oil is too strong for babies, do not apply it directly. For older kids, one can rub a few drops of oil on the kid’s chest. I regularly use Eucalyptus oil to treat nasal congestion for my child.

6. Hydrate:

Always keep the child hydrated when suffering from nasal congestion as hydration keeps the mucus thin.

7. Elevate:

Elevate the baby’s head with the help of a pillow when you put him to sleep. This helps the mucus to drain out thereby opening the nasal passage.

8. Nasal Aspirator:

For toddler kids suffering nasal congestion, a nasal aspirator can be used to remove the excess mucus. Nasal aspirator is available at medical stores.

9. Steam bath:

An effective method to provide comfort to a baby from nasal congestion would be to run a hot water shower in the bath and sit in the steamy bathroom with the baby.

10. Use nasal sprays or drops:

I have very frequently used nasal drops for my daughter to relieve her from nasal congestion. Nasal Saline Solution, like Nasivion, being the first line of treatment, is safe and can be used by anyone. If the problem is aggravated then after consulting the doctor, one can opt for Nasivion (Mini) Baby Nose Drops 0.01% or Nasivion Pediatric (Child) Nose Drops 0.025% depending on the age of the child. Please make sure you consult your doctor/ paediatrician before using the product.

The dosage and the frequency to use the Nasivion (Mini) Baby Nose drops can be administered accordingly:

Up to the age of 1 month: 1 drop of the solution into each nostril 2-3 times per day.

From the age of over 1 month until the age of 1 year: 1-2 drops into each nostril 2-3 times per day or as directed by a physician.

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Published by Aesha

I am a mommy blogger who loves to read, write and travel. I am a teacher by qualification and a blogger by profession. Aesha’s musings is all about my experience as a mother , daughter, wife, friend, companion , partner in crime and each of that facet that all of us will identify with. So feel free to share your experiences , opinions & a lot of motivational inputs !
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